VARIOUS SUBJECTS,

DOCTRINAL, EXPERIMENTAL and PRACTICAL.

VOL. I.

HARTFORD.

1798.

PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY

BOOK-SELLERS AND STATIONERS, HARTFORD,

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EXCERPT 1. ( Pg. 130.)

"BEING born again further implies, a holy principle from GOD put into the soul, by which it is enabled to relish, and taste the excellency of all holy things. A principle of moral likeness to GOD where there was none before, nor any thing which bore a moral resemblance of him.—It comes from GOD, and makes those who receive it, in some degree conformed to him."

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Sinners under present condemnation.

JOHN iii. 18, 19.

THE evangelist, in this chapter, relates a discourse of our blessed Saviour, in which some great and important gospel doctrines are brought into clear view. The conversation was with Nicodemus, a master and teacher in Israel, who tho’ he was in that station, was ignorant of a divine renovation of the heart, as necessary for salvation.—CHRIST explained the doctrine to him, and most plainly asserted the need of such a change—the impossibility of being saved without it—and the power and agency of the Holy Spirit by whom it is wrought. He said that this change is not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor

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of the will of man, but of GOD.—The Spirit of GOD is the author of it.—We shall not reason ourselves into a holy temper, nor gain it by any means or endeavours, unless the Holy Spirit works; so that to deny his agency, or to grieve him away when he comes to assist, is most effectually shutting the door of divine grace against ourselves.

BEING born again further implies, a holy principle from GOD put into the soul, by which it is enabled to relish, and taste the excellency of all holy things. A principle of moral likeness to GOD where there was none before, nor any thing which bore a moral resemblance of him.—It comes from GOD, and makes those who receive it, in some degree conformed to him.

HAVING stated the need of being renewed, .CHRIST proceeds, also to describe the necessity of a saving faith, which is that exercise, by which, a renewed soul receives CHRIST for his Saviour, and thus becomes entitled to the gospel promises of forgiveness and final redemption.—Faith is here called believing in name the of the Son of GOD. And CHRIST illustrates this grace by comparing himself to the brazen serpent, which Moses listed up in the wilderness, to which the wounded Israelites looked for healing. The illustration is very instructive. The Israelite felt himself mortally wounded, and in danger of immediate death. So the sinner, before he will look to CHRIST, must feel the mortal wounds of sin—that his spiritual disease is a fatal one, threatening the worst of deaths, and without a remedy in his power.—After the Israelite felt himself wounded, the cure was effected only by looking.—So the wounded sinner, finds no efficacy to ease a pained conscience in what he does. All

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own works leave him under condemnation of the law.—The virtue which heals is in JESUS CHRIST, and he finds benefit by faith alone, which beholds, receives and chooses the Saviour and his salvation. Whoever thus looks is no longer condemned, being forgiven through JESUS CHRIST, who has suffered and become a ransom for all those who are his.

HAVING stated the way of salvation in the important doctrines of the new birth, and a saving faith, in our text, he describes the unhappy case and the extreme danger and guilt of all such as have not been changed unto holiness, and believed in him, But he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of GOD.—And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. Among many important truths, which these words contain, there are three, which I shall consider.

1st. ALL, who have not a saving faith, are in a state of present condemnation. There is not simply danger they will be condemned, in some future time, but the sentence is already passed.

2dly. THE light which is come into the world, and the means which GOD hath used and still continues to use, will greatly aggravate their guilt, and make his justice in condemnation, very glorious.

3dly. The only reason, those who have the means of information do not come to this light, and derive saving benefit from it, is the corruption of their hearts. They do not choose such salvation as the gospel offers.—And men loved

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1st. ALL who have not a saving faith, are in a state of present condemnation.

THE words of CHRIST are so express, there is no way of placing on them any other fair and natural construction—He that believeth not is condemned already—the sentence is passed, and agreeable to this the holy scriptures say, that GOD is angry with the wicked every day, and his wrath abideth on them.—When he looks on them, as he doth every moment, and sees their sin—a wrong temper—a wrong practice, and a want of love to him, his displeasure is perfect.— The original threatening was, in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.—After sin was committed, justice appeared and pronounced sentence upon, the sinners, from which moment, they were in a state of condemnation.—All of us are in the same situation naturally, under the same sentence, and there is only one way of being delivered from it, which is by a holy faith in JESUS CHRIST.

IT is true, there is a short reprieve from complete execution of the sentence, granted to us all; but we should very carefully distinguish between a temporary reprieve from complete execution, and a reversal of the threatening. The reprieve extends to all men for a season—the reversal is only to those who have become vitally united to the Saviour of men, the SON of GOD. If the reprieved person go to CHRIST, in the proscribed way of humility and repentance, divine grace will declare him free from condemnation, and until he doth thus go, the sentence remains in full force as it would be, if there were no

Redeemer. Also, it remains most certain, that after a short delay, execution will commence on the impenitent, without allay. The reprieve consists in two things.

1st. THE extremity of the sentence is not yet executed.—Men are now suffering much punishment for their sins, but it is not the full punishment.—GOD has placed them in a state of trial. The full punishment of sin is probably so extreme, as to be inconsistent with consideration and trial, and would so distract the mind, that it could not hear the calls of divine grace, in the manner it now may. Therefore, we find a partial suspension of wretchedness, and only so much is suffered, as warns and teaches us, that the wages of sin are indeed sorrow and death. It ought, by no means, to be concluded, that the penalty doth not contain something vastly more bitter than what sinners feel in this world. When the state of trial ends, extreme punishment will be inflicted, for infinite wisdom will no longer have a reason for suspending.

2d. ANOTHER thing contained in this reprieve, is an opportunity to escape to the only begotten SON of GOD for an eternal deliverance, and complete reversal of the sentence of condemnation.

GOD is now warning us of our danger—inviting us to come to him by repentance that we may live—and to begin a life of holiness and true grace, and taste how sweet and soul satisfying it is. Of those who truly come none will be rejected— GOD will forgive their sins, for the sake of his Son, and never bring them to suffer such punishment as they have deserved.

THE whole state of things, in this world, is evidence, that those who believe not are condemned

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already. There are innumerable punishments actually taking place, and if execution is begun, it shows that sentence is passed. In how solemn a situation does the conscious sinner stand, is sentence be already passed—if execution be begun— and only a few days are to intervene before the full weight takes place. It is in sight of these truths, divine mercy becomes so importunate in its calls to a secure world, and says, in the most pathetic language of pity, Why will ye die, 0 house of Israel? It is in sight of these truths, GOD speaks so plain to us in his holy word. The case is so urgent, that infinite wisdom sees it to require the most plain dealing—the most plain address to conscience—and the most explicit description, of the endless ruin that will follow a misimprovement of this short season.

CERTAINLY the great and infinite GOD, who upholds so august a universe as this, and is the parent of reason, cannot be a passionate and capricious being. Neither is it supposeable that he would try to terrify us with groundless fears. And he tells us expressly, that all who have not come to JESUS CHRIST are already under sentence of death. The awful sentence of the last day will not be a new one, but only a repetition of that which is passed already, with this aggravating circumstance, that the state of reprieve is ended. Mercy will never again come forward and try to save the guilty, sentenced creature. O that all might feel the reality of the truth I am now urging. A long observation of human nature gives me right to say, that until they feel themselves to be condemned already, they will never take one step towards a life of thorough religion. Until they feel this, they will be as secure, and as full of vanity, as is there were no eternity before them—no heaven

to obtain—or no state of endless punishment to escape. Among all the strange things found in a sinful heart, it is one of the strangest that sin closes the eyes, on the danger attending it—on the need of an immediate escape—on the certain truth of GOD in what he hath told us, and on the awfulness of going into another world, without that preparation which the gospel declares to be necessary. And there is not only a present blindness, but so strong a desire of remaining blind, it gives a great displeasure to see or hear any thing, which has a tendency to awaken conscience.

2d. THE light which is come into the world, and the means which GOD hath used, and still continues to use, will greatly aggravate their guilt, and make his justice in their condemnation very glorious.

This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light. The meaning of this part of the text is, that the surprizing clear light which shines, if misimproved, will greatly aggravate the condemnation and misery of impenitent sinners. It is the same truth as CHRIST expressed in the following words.— If I had not comes and spoke unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin. They would not have had so great sin, nor would their conduct have been so criminal as it now is.

A VAST number of men in the christian world, who do not live christian lives; speak of their privileges with great pleasure. They place great dependance on their light and opportunities, tho' they do not make any use of them, to obtain a real conformity of heart to GOD himself, which is the only thing for which their privileges were given them. Still, it is a solemn truth, that misimproved privileges will only increase condemnation.

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This is one of those truths, which CHRIST often brought into view. He told the Jews, it should be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, and even for Sodom and Gomorrha, in the day of judgment, than for them. The reason was, because they sinned against greater knowledge, and better means to do their duty, than the people of those devoted cities had. The gospel, which originated in infinite love, and offers salvation to sinners who are sensible of their wants and their guilt, carries with it nothing but terror to its condemned and selfish opposers. Therefore the apostle said explicitly, on this subject, that the gospel which he preached, was a savor of life unto life, unto them who obeyed; but of death unto death to those who perish. If it did not save, if it did not sanctify them, it would increase the weight of their guilt. If they refused it, in its saving and sanctifying call, it must make them more guilty creatures, than they would have been, had no gospel been published.

GOSPEL calls and warnings—the searching admonition of the spirit—the clear shining of truth from GOD, in whatever way they come, never leave men as they find them. These things, either leave us made better than we were, and forgiven by GOD ; or they leave us hardened, and much more guilty than before.

WHEN the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then be saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh, with himself seven other spirits, more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. The meaning of the representation is this.—When by the clear shining of light, either

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immediately from the spirit of GOD, or by means, men are brought to some consideration—are attentive—show a hearing ear, and go no further, they become more guilty. They only walk in dry or comfortless places. They do not their whole duty and repent, and believe in JESUS, and therefore find no peace in what they do. As they continue to sin against increased light, they are constantly becoming more hard, and finally resolve to sit down again in security. A man thus returning to security, finds his house empty, swept and garnished. He has quieted himself with a few visible regulations of amendment; but it is his house and not his heart, that is garnished with love as it ought to be. The awfulness of such security, and the increase of sin and guilt, are most solemnly represented—he taketh to himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and the last state of that man is worse than the first. He is become sevensold more guilty in the sight of GOD. Misimproved light has greatly increased the weight of his condemnation.

THESE words are the doctrine of JESUS CHRIST and of the holy scriptures. And can we say a word against the reasonableness of the truth? Do not our own common sense, reason and conscience confirm the truth? Does common sense dictate any thing more clearly, than this, that the man who sins against the clearest light is the most guilty creature? Must we not allow, that for sin, in the face of such light as we have, we are more guilty than the heathen, who have no scripture instruction—no knowledge of a Saviour—no means of grace—and no description from GOD’s own revelation of the nature of a holy life and a holy reward? Must we not allow, that after GOD’s spirit has warned us by the instrumentality

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of our consciences, we are more guilty in every sin committed, than before such warning was given? If, in full information of truth and our own duty—of offered redemption through JESUS CHRIST—Of his death, to show the holiness and love of GODHEAD, we still neglect, our mouths will be shut in self-condemnation. This is the very circumstance, which in the plainess manner, shows the exceeding sinfulness of a sinful heart. It is this, which at the last day, will in the clearest manner prove, the unreasonableness of sin, and the glorious wisdom and righteousness of GOD in being opposed to it. The most aggravated part of the condemnation will be, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light. They acted not from mistake, but according to the taste of their hearts; and they ought to reap the fruit of that, which they chose.